Walsh University Teacher of the Month: Kelsey Thomas, Massillon
NAME – Kelsey Thomas
SCHOOL – Massillon Junior High School
RESIDENCE – Jackson Township
HIGH SCHOOL ALMA MATER – Jackson High School
COLLEGE – University of Cincinnati
FAMILY – Parents, David and Jennifer; sisters Ashley, Maria and Emily; and brothers Louie, Joey and Danny.
WHAT SUBJECTS DO YOU TEACH? – Eighth-grade English Language Arts
WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB? – The best part of my job is working alongside the most motivating staff of teachers, counselors and administrators. We work collaboratively to make a difference in each and every student, and in turn influence each other.
WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF YOUR JOB? – The most challenging part of my job is saying “goodbye” to the eighth-graders at the end of each year. No matter the student, the genuine care and support transcends the limited time I have with them on their educational journey. Tears always seem to creep up on that last day.
WHAT SECRET TO SUCCESS WOULD YOU SHARE WITH STUDENTS? – My secret to success is to always lead with a smile. A positive attitude will propel you further and make an impact on those around you.
IS TEACHING KIDS THE SAME TODAY AS WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED? – This school year marks my sixth year in the classroom. I have had the pleasure of teaching all high school grade levels and have found a special place in my heart for middle school. Students have been the same goofy individuals trying to harness their personalities within the hallways at school and scrolls online.
YOUR STUDENTS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW THAT YOU … – … have the hardest time not bringing them up in outside conversations. I thoroughly enjoy and cherish the relationships created with my students. They have a way of capturing my heart, making me their biggest sideline cheerleader.
WHAT IS YOUR HIDDEN TALENT? – My hidden talent is only hidden until you meet me. I value relationships and can make genuine connections with those around me. I use my talent most when signing up solo to volunteer at local events.
IF YOU WEREN’T A TEACHER, YOU’D BE … – Dean of Faculty. This isn’t a true position … yet! I enjoy working with the adults in education and naturally find myself thinking through situations or obstacles posed to offer solutions.
AFTER A LONG DAY AT WORK, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO RELAX? – I am most relaxed when I am in the company of good people. Most often, this time is spent with my loved ones and the community at RiverTree Jackson.
Other nominations:
Alliance
Jared Angelica, physical education at Alliance Elementary School − Jared Angelica has established himself with our students and kids are loving physical education so far this year! He also goes above and beyond and is visible and present at every arrival and dismissal duty, even when he is not required to do so.
DeAnn Zavarelli, sixth grade Science at Alliance Middle School − DeAnn Zavarelli demonstrates genuine kindness to all of her students. In addition, she brings an enthusiastic energy to her 6th grade science classroom every day to engage her students.
Canton Central Catholic
Gerry Hudnall, English & Holocaust Literature − Students are shocked to learn that Gerry Hudnall is the longest-serving teachers in the Diocese of Youngstown; teaching English at Central Catholic for decades! He is an entertaining teacher that students look forward to having when they become seniors as he’s known for having students complete projects that are engaging and spoken of for decades to come, not to mention that help them learn his material. He also teaches Central’s Holocaust Literature course, one of only two courses in Stark County, as part of that course, he takes students on special trips to hear stories from survivors and visits elementary Catholic schools to teach lessons on the Holocaust. Mr. Hudnall has experience and energy which makes him a great teacher!
Canton City
Kat McGann, Youtz, fourth grade − Katarina is a child-centered instructor that cares deeply about her students. She is an extremely hard worker and demands excellence from her students. She is a blessing to her students and teaching teammates!
Chelsi Moir, seventh grade ELA, STEAMM Academy − Coach Moir has done a phenomenal job (once again) with getting the house system rolling this year. She does such a great job overseeing the whole program and is much appreciated!
Canton Local
Kim Blend, multigrade teacher at Canton South Middle School− Kim has been a welcome addition to Canton South Middle School! She creates a sense of community and belonging in the classroom and is a kind, patient, and student-centered teacher.
Jackson Local
Erik Spinelli, eighth grade Social Studies, Jackson Memorial Middle School – Erik does a tremendous job making history come alive for his students. His energy and enthusiasm is evident every day in his classroom and around the building.
Lake Center Christian
Rebecca McConahay, grade six − Rebecca McConahay is intentional in every aspect of her teaching from her conversations with students to her way of engaging them to think critically. She builds meaningful connections and makes learning relevant. Rebecca is insightful about student needs and works well with her grade level team to promote understanding at all levels.
Cassie Wilkie, eighth grade English Language Arts − Casey is a welcome addition to Lake Center. Her ELA lessons involve students in discussing books as they pertain to real life lessons. She intentionally integrates grammar, vocabulary, and spelling in ways that are organic in her classroom, instead of dreaded elements.
Lake Local
Ms. Jan Roberto, fifth grade math/science− Ms. Roberto is a valued member of our Lake Elementary family. She uses differentiated instruction to meet the varied academic needs of her students. Ms. Roberto and her students are learning conversational Ukrainian to help our 5th grade Ukrainian students feel welcome, cared for and safe.
Grace Franjesevic, Physics, AP Physics 1, AP Physics C− Preparing for three different physics classes and labs, getting students ready for the advanced placement tests, spending part of her day as a freshman mentor teacher, and now, with her recent promotion to head softball coach, Grace Franjesevic continues to demonstrate the skills, work ethic, and a steady guiding hand as she puts our students and athletes in their best positions to succeed. Our physics students look forward to working with a teacher who uses a very organized and student-centered approach to help them to understand the relevance of the content and to encourage an enthusiasm for learning. An excellent teacher and a tremendous role model, we are certain that the Physics and softball programs at Lake Middle High School are in good hands with Grace Franjesevic.
Louisville City
Sarah Faiello, Middle School STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) − Mrs. Faiello is a STEM teacher at Louisville Middle School. In her classroom, students are exposed to a variety of possible career opportunities to consider. Coding, gaming, engineering, robotics, broadcasting and drones to just name a few. In her classes, students are encouraged to take risks, and try new things. Everyone learns from their mistakes. These experiences help students develop an interest in areas that may one day be their career. Thank you to Mrs. Faiello for supporting and nurturing each one of her students!
Marlington Local
Heather Craig, fifth grade math and science − Mrs. Craig is an outstanding teacher that inspires and engages all her students with her lessons. She is passionate, caring and dedicated which make her a great choice to be teacher of the month!
Alivia Kinney, eighth grade math − Ms. Kinney is an exceptionally hard-working teacher who does everything possible to make connections with her students. She excels not just at teaching her content, but at making students feel valued, supported, and excited to learn.
Massillon Local
Eileen Sirgo, kindergarten − Eileen has been teaching for more than 25 years in the Massillon City School district. In the last few years, she has taught kindergarten at Gorrell Elementary. Eileen works very hard to make learning fun for her students and provides opportunities for her students to partner with third grade students who author and illustrated a book on animals. Each partner set of students chose an animal and researched it then drew a picture and wrote complete sentences about the animals. A copy of the book was available for families to purchase and we even have one in our school library.
Kelsey Thomas, eighth grade ELA Teacher− Ms. Thomas is consistently a bright spot in her students' days. She brings a positive perspective to her ELA classes as well as our school's BLT and PBIS teams. Ms. Thomas has been a huge part of our PBIS fundraisers and works hard to bring even more opportunities to our students. She is furthering her own education by taking graduate coursework in educational administration. Ms. Thomas also coaches tennis at Washington High School, and just completed her most successful season ever!
Minerva Local
Jason Lutz, STEM at Minerva Middle School− Jason is a pillar of our building and a true asset. He does an outstanding job of creating a classroom environment that encourages creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. The real-world skills Jason fosters in his classroom allow his students to engage in a meaningful curriculum that connects to each of them outside the classroom. He is always modeling this lifelong learning and growth mindset in his classroom by not only creating challenges for his students but also never becoming complacent as an educator. He prides himself on relationships and it is evident as you walk into the classroom, as well as the hallways, that his students trust, respect, and want to talk to him. In addition, Jason is always willing to help take on additional roles to better our school, students, and community.
Osnaburg Local
Miss Cindy Pacconi, Speech and Language Pathology − East Canton Elementary recognizes Miss Cindy Pacconi as our November Teacher of the Month! Miss Pacconi has faithfully served as a Speech & Language Pathologist at East Canton for 25 years. Building relationships with students and their families is a key part of the success Miss Pacconi sees with her students. Even though Miss Pacconi has a “full load” of students receiving speech and language services, she can be seen around the building greeting students as they enter and helping them with breakfast (sometimes even adding some cool tunes to their arrival), serving as the Intervention Assistance Team lead, and organizing a monthly staff birthday luncheon. Thank you, Miss Pacconi for your dedication and positivity toward the students, staff, and families at East Canton!
Mrs. Cathy Bravis, art − East Canton High School would like to nominate Cathy Bravis as our teacher of the month. Cathy goes above and beyond every day to connect with students at East Canton High School. Mrs. Bravis teaches art to middle school and high school students at East Canton. Her student-centered approach creates meaningful relationships with students and their families. We're truly honored to have Mrs. Cathy Bravis as the art teacher at East Canton High School.
Perry Local
Jill Litman, kindergarten − Mrs. Litman goes above and beyond daily to meet the needs of all her students. She takes the time to build intentional relationships with her students. Her past students come back to visit her on a regular basis because of their experiences in kindergarten.
Plain Local
Andrea Kuhn, grade three Language Arts − It is with honor to recognize Mrs. Andrea Kuhn as Teacher of the Month for her devotion in making sure that each of her students reaches success! Mrs. Kuhn fosters a learning environment of positivity and growth! She connects learning with creativity and enjoyment! The diligence and care that she exhibits as an educator makes her deserving of this recognition.
Trevor Burkett, grade seven Intervention Specialist-math − It is our pleasure to recognize Mr. Burkett as our Teacher of the Month. He is a strong math teacher who develops a good rapport with all his students. He and his co-serve teaching partner Mrs. Sederland create a learning environment that is supportive and challenging for students of all levels. His passion for working with middle school students is evident as his efforts at Oakwood exceed the classroom as a football coach and athletic director. He holds all students accountable, but always willing to offer support when needed. All these qualities make Mr. Burkett deserving of this recognition.
St. Thomas Aquinas
Mr. Michael Rezac, Middle School religion − Mr. Rezac is a middle school religion teacher for STA. According to his students, he is a hardworking and intelligent teacher! They appreciate that he keeps the class interesting and engaged as they learn, making his class enjoyable and a favorite!
Mr. Joseph Frangos, High School religion − Mr. Frangos is a high school religion teacher for STA. He also serves as our Campus Minister. Mr. Frangos is energetic about spiritual formation in our students and takes pride in organizing Mass, retreats, and service projects for our students. He always finds ways to get involved and encourage students to do the same!
Stark County Catholic Elementary Schools
Christian Campbell, Middle School − Christian Campbell is a middle school teacher at St. Mary Elementary School. Mr. Campbell is a tough but fair teacher who takes the time to get to know his students in order to help them grow and to help them connect to learning. In addition to being a strong classroom teacher, he volunteers his time to serve as the middle school football coach for all the Western Stark County Elementary Schools, coordinating families from five different schools and treating each player as his own, offering them encouragement, teaching them life skills and inspiring them to be their very best.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Walsh University Teacher of the Month: Kelsey Thomas, Massillon
